HONOLULU—University of Hawai'i softball head coach Bob Coolen announced the addition of three transfers who will be making a return to the Islands. Milan Ah Yat (5-8, Utility, Honolulu, O'ahu / University Lab School/LMU), Carys Murakami (5-2, Infield, R/R, Kāne'ohe, O'ahu / Maryknoll School/CSUN), and Liliana Thomas (5-7, Catcher/Infielder, Kailua, O'ahu / Maryknoll School/Arizona State/LMU) return to Hawai'i to continue their collegiate careers at UH in 2025. The three join 10 other student-athletes as the newest Rainbow Wahine softball players.
 
Ah Yat is a 5-8 incoming sophomore, spent her freshman season at LMU. She appeared in 17 games with nine starts as a utility player.  The Honolulu-native is a 2023 graduate of University Laboratory School where she earned four varsity letters in softball and three in volleyball. In softball, she helped lead Pac-Five to the DII league title in 2022 and the state championship in '23. Ah Yat was tabbed the league's DII softball Player of the Year in both 2022 and '23. In 2023 she also was voted the Most Valuable Player of the state tournament and she was inducted into the Hawai'i High School Athletics Association's (HHSAA) Hall of Honor. Ah Yat also played on the Pac-Five baseball team as a senior. In volleyball she helped to lead the Junior 'Bows to the 2021 DII league and state championships and was voted the state volleyball tourney's Most Valuable Player. Ah Yat is a second generation Rainbow as her father, Paul, pitched on the UH Rainbow baseball team from 1994-96.
 
Murakami is a 5-3 infielder from Kāne'ohe, O'ahu. Th incoming junior spent her first two collegiate seasons at CSUN where she appeared in 71 games with 64 starts. As a sophomore, she appeared in 25 games with 19 of 20 starts coming at second base. On defense, she led CSUN with 27 putouts and 46 assists with zero errors for a 1.000 fielding percentage and in her two years as a Matador, held a career .964 fielding percentage as an infielder. The 2022 Maryknoll School graduate helped lead the Spartans to the 2022 state championship title and their 2021 league title. Murakami earned all-league honors as a freshman and a senior. As a senior, she was voted to Scoring Live's All-Hawai'i DI First Team and to the state tournament's all-tournament team. Murakami has also excelled in the classroom at Maryknoll earning multiple academic awards throughout her four years there and at CSUN she earned NFCA Scholar-Athlete honors in 2023.
 
Thomas, a 5-7 catcher/infielder, returns to Hawai'i as an incoming senior who is looking to conclude her collegiate career at UH after stints at Arizona State and LMU. At ASU and LMU she played in a combined 44 games with 34 starts in her career. At Arizona State, she was a member of the PAC-12 championship team and helped the Sun Devils win the NCAA Regional to advance to the Super Regional. The 2021 graduate of Maryknoll School joins her former Spartan teammate, Murakami, and also LMU teammate Ah Yat at Hawai'i. At Maryknoll, she helped to lead the Spartans to a pair of league titles. As a freshman, Thomas earned All-State honorable mention honors and as a sophomore she was voted all-league second team and all-state second team. As a senior, Thomas was named the Hawai'i Gatorade (Softball) Player of the Year, mad the all-league first team and was selected Maryknoll's Student-Athlete of the Year.
 
"These three student-athletes will all add depth to our program at their respective positions and we're excited to welcome them all back to the Islands!" says Coolen.

2025 Rainbow Wahine Softball Signees
Jaeda Abcede – 5-7, Middle Infielder/Outfield, R/R, 'Ewa Beach, O'ahu / Campbell HS
Milan Ah Yat – 5-8, Utility, Honolulu, O'ahu / University Lab School/LMU 
Macy Brandl – 5-10, Pitcher, R/R, Fullerton College
Brooke Camacho – 5-6, Outfield/Catcher, R/R, La Habra, Calif. / St. Paul HS
Emerson Coblentz – Pitcher, R/R, Burbank, Calif. / John Burroughs HS
Sunni Kahanu – 5-6, Centerfielder/Shortstop, R/R, Mililani, O'ahu / Mililani HS
Kolbi Kochi – 5-6, First Base/Third Base, R/R, Mililani, O'ahu / Mililani HS
Kayla Kostyk – 5-7, First Base/Third Base, R/R, Chino Hills, Calif. / Chino Hills HS
Carys Murakami –5-2, Infield, R/R, Kāne'ohe, O'ahu / Maryknoll School/CSUN
Kiani-Taylor Soller – 5-4, Pitcher/Outfielder, R/R, Mililani, O'ahu / Kamehameha Schools—Kapālama
Liliana Thomas – 5-7, Catcher/Infielder, Kailua, O'ahu / Maryknoll School/Arizona State/LMU 
Kennedy Thompson – 5-6, Outfielder, R/R, Santa Clarita, Calif. / Saugus HS
Kayara-Leigh Tuiloma – 5-9, Outfield, R/R, Wai'anae, O'ahu / Kapolei HS